PA Sued for Shutting Down Health Plan

[Crabcake Johnny]

For those who don't know, PA closed a program called Adult Basic which provided coverage to 40,000 residents for as little as $36 per month. The state cited budgetary issues for shutting the program down.

Now...the lawsuit: Pa. sued after it allowed health care plan to end | Associated Press | The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre & Scranton PA

"The lawsuit filed in Commonwealth Court alleges that money set aside for the plan, called adultBasic, was unlawfully diverted to other purposes, and is directly responsible for the plan's end on Feb. 28. The suit, filed by Sheryl Sears of McKeesport, Ronald Guiney of Butler and Florence Spanos of Pittsburgh, also seeks a class-action order. More than 41,000 were covered under adultBasic."

 

[STIBROKER]

hummmmm....seems like a warning for things to come.....if I want a limited plan it is my right to have it.....as stupid as it might be......I do not care if the are not solvent and can pay my claim.....

 

[DS4]

What happened to,"If you like your current plan, you can keep it".

 

[Norwayguy]

What happened to,"If you like your current plan, you can keep it".

Well in this case it was the state that was heavily subsidizing the plan and is now in a position where it can not financially continue down that path.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

I can get into a very bad habit of having a cold attitude towards people who are on assistance...that I'm actually working on.

But I have to feel for these people. 40,000 hard working people just got dumped. They are over the income level to qualify for Medicaid or otherwise don't qualify but don't earn nearly enough to afford health insurance. They are the much derided "working poor."

The far right tends to paint these people are lazy or financially irresponsible - having a big screen tv, smart phones, etc...however this is obviously a misrepresentation of this class - many of whom work two low-paying jobs to make ends meet.

I cannot imagine having health insurance then having it cancelled. Even an affordable family premium might be $300 per month whereas many of these people may struggle to have $50 left over each month.

I believe access to health care is a right and obligation that one of the most powerful countries in the world (hint: us) needs to address. Be careful now, I didn't say we have a right to health insurance. I said we have a right to health care.

 

[pahealthquotes]

40,000 hard working people? no... I've spoken with over 300 who had adult basic and very few were what I consider hard working. Most of these people who had adult basic at 36.00 per month have switched over to Special Care for 162.00 a month which is still a bargain. Most dont want to spend a dime for health care.

 

[somarco]

Adult Basic was funded, at least in part, by a tobacco company settlement. For the last 6 years it has been partially funded by Blue.

That means working taxpayers, tobacco users and Blue policyholders were making the coverage available.

It is interesting to see video from Japan and contrast that to Katrina. The Japanese culture is such that asking for someone else to take care of them is almost unheard of.

This is not a racist comment, but we have created a plantation mentality and too many people are taking advantage of it.

 

[pahealthquotes]

I dont see looting in Japan.. wonder what would be going on here under the same circumstances

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Since I don't want to write a 5,000 word essay, I'd research the "free press" in Japan. In theory, the press is free to report anything. In reality, you are not going to see "negative" reports on Japan through any of their main stream media. In a nutshell, if there's looting you ain't gonna see it reported like it was here 24/7 on CNN.

 

[IndividualHealthGuy]

That's because negative things don't happen in Japan. Ask Emperor Hirohito.